Vandals strike at Pitts Road cemetery

Thursday

Nov 8, 2012 at 3:15 AM

What wanton destruction! Why?

The Shapleigh Board of Selectmen has been informed that a cemetery in the woods off the Pitts Road has been vandalized. The headstones of folks who had been buried there many years ago have been snapped off at ground level. Also, a monument between four and five feet tall was toppled over.

Needless to say, when this sad news was given to Ron Rivard, Shapleigh’s cemetery superintendent, he could only shake his head.

One of the stones belongs to a veteran whose grave is flagged in remembrance and appreciation of his efforts many years ago when he fought for the freedoms we have today.

TAX COMMITMENT ALMOST ALL COLLECTED

Tax Collector Joanne Rankin has indicated that 94 percent of the town’s total tax commitment for 2012 has been paid by the property owners in Shapleigh.

Thank you all for helping Shapleigh to be able to pay its bills in a timely fashion and to end up the year in the black once again.

BUDGET PROCESS IS UNDER WAY

Town Hall Office Clerk Carole Collins has prepared loose-leaf budget books for members of the Shapleigh Budget Committee and the Shapleigh Board of Selectmen.

The budget committee will soon be setting up meetings for reviewing the proposed budgets of town department heads and social service agencies. Interviews will be held, questions asked, explanations given, and more will be done before the budget committee makes its final recommendations to the voters on the articles which will appear in the annual town meeting warrant.

Selectmen currently are working on the General Government budget, which will become a part of the deliberation process as well and subject to the same scrutiny by the budget committee as all others.

NEW GENERATOR INSTALLED

A new Generac generator was installed recently at the Public Safety Building to replace the former generator, which was labor-intensive as far as having to go to the station repeatedly to add fuel. The new generator is fueled by propane, so it is much more efficient.

The board of selectmen signed a 5-year maintenance contract for the Generac, which includes annual preventive maintenance.

CHECKING IN WITH THE CODE OFFICER

Shapleigh Code Enforcement Officer Steve McDonough has issued permits to the following individuals for the projects.

David L. Massanari, Map 20, Lot 12, of Shapleigh Corner Road, to build a 22-foot by 27-foot single-story garage with attic storage, and wall studs no greater than 10 feet;

Richard Levesque, Map 30, Lot 41, of Hawthorne Road on Square Pond, to replace the existing camp with a new 28-foot by 28-foot one, using all of the allowed 30-percent expansion, with a maximum building height of no more than 35 feet to be built to code;

David K. Bridges, Map 16, Lot 39, of Cattail Loop on the Lower Mousam, to replace an existing camp with a new camp;

William Turgeon, Map 16, Lot 40, of Cattail Lop on the Lower Mousam, to pour a new foundation under the existing camp, with a 30-percent expansion for a 12-foot by 12-foot addition and a 12-foot by 14-foot deck;

Vincent Srebnick, Map 30, Lot 43, of Hemlock Road on Square Pond, to bring in up to 10 yards of earth in the shore land zone, after the fact;

Gerald Richard, Map 32, Lot 8, of Dahlia Road on Square Pond, to cut two trees within 100 feet of the water, with 4 trees to be replanted in the same general area, and the stumps to remain in place;

Daniel Vetesse, Map 42, Lot 28C, of Emily Lane on Pine Springs Lake, to cut 6 trees per plan, with the tree closest to the lake to be replaced with one tree in the same general location, and the stump to remain in place.

William Coye, Map 36, Lot 15, of Indian Village Road on Square Pond, to build a 14-foot by 28-foot addition;

Roger Houle, Map 12, Lot 34-1, of Newfield Road, to place a 4-foot by 8-foot sign that will not obstruct the line of sight of traffic; and

Joseph Lavoie, Map 44, Lot 32, of Silver Lake Road on Silver Lake, to cut one large pine, with the stump to remain in place, and 4 trees to be replanted in same general area.

The declared value of the above improvement projects is $375,000.

SELECTMEN APPROVE GENERAL ASSISTANCE ORDINANCE

Selectmen held a public hearing on Tuesday, Oct. 30, on the revised General Assistance Ordinance.

The public had no comments, and the selectmen unanimously enacted the ordinance as presented.

Modifications were made to housing, food, and others as proposed by the Department of Health and Human Services and recommended by the Maine Municipal Association.

‘SANDY’ SPARES SHAPLEIGH

Hurricane Sandy, which ravaged most of the eastern coast, largely spared Shapleigh. The town did experience downed trees, a loss of power, and some road washouts. Many folks were without power for several days.

Our hearts go out to those communities in New Jersey and New York, where the damage sustained equaled that of total destruction in many areas.